ST.FRANCIS XAVIER FEAST INFANT JESUS CATHEDRAL Panchayath/ Municipality/ Kollam Corporation Corporation LOCATION District Kollam Nearest Town/ Landmark/ Junction Thangassery Town Kollam Bus Stop-3 Km Nearest Bus station Nearest Railway Kollam Railway Station- 4.5 Km station ACCESSIBILITY Trivandrum International Airport- 78 Km Nearest Airport Infant Jesus Cathedral Tangasseri, Kollam - 691007 Contact Person: Father Joseph John (Edavaka Vicar) CONTACT Phone: +91-474-2797870 DATES FREQUENCY DURATION TIME January 1 to 4 Annual 4 Days ABOUT THE FESTIVAL (Legend/History/Myth) ST.Francis Xavier was born on April 7, 1506 in Spain. Xavier devoted himself to religious service and become one of the founders of Jesuit order. Much of his life was spent to missions in areas such as India and Japan. He was died on China’s Shang Chuan island on Dec, 1552. The feast day of ST.Francis Xavier is December 3. Most saints have specially designated feast days and are associated with a specific day of the year and these are referred to as the saints feast day. The feast days first arouse from the very early Christian custom of the annual commemoration of martyrs on the dates of their deaths at the same time celebrating their birth into heaven. Local Approx.20000 RELEVANCE- NO. OF PEOPLE (Local / National / International) PARTICIPATED EVENTS/PROGRAMS DESCRIPTION (How festival is celebrated) There will be a flag hoisting ceremony on the first day of the Flag Hoisting festival, marking the beginning. Religious discourses and Divya Bali special prayers were takes place during the festive days. Procession Special Prayers December 3rd, feast day is celebrated with greater Novena importance. Cultural events also conducted, religious Cultural Programs Religious Meeting meetings were there. Procession which covers major part of Spiritual Discourses town is also an important event in the festival which attracts lots of people. .